Whenever the council directly operates any public transit system, or any part thereof, or enters into any management contract or other arrangement for the operation of a system, the council shall take the action necessary to extend to employees of the affected public transit systems, in accordance with seniority, the first opportunity for reasonably comparable employment in any available nonsupervisory jobs in respect to such operations for which they can qualify after a reasonable training period. The employment must not result in any worsening of the employee's position in the employee's former employment nor any loss of wages, hours, working conditions, seniority, fringe benefits, and rights and privileges pertaining thereto. The council may enter into an agreement specifying fair and equitable arrangements to protect the interests of employees who may be affected if the council should acquire any interest in or purchase any facilities or other property of a privately owned and operated transit system, or construct, improve, or reconstruct any facilities or other property acquired from any system, or provide by contract or otherwise for the operation of transportation facilities or equipment in competition with, or supplementary to, the service provided by an existing transit system. The agreement, specifying the terms and conditions of the protective arrangements, must comply with any applicable requirements of this chapter, and with the requirements of any federal law or regulation if federal aid is involved. The agreement may provide for final and binding arbitration of any dispute.

History: 1975 c 13 s 60; 1984 c 654 art 3 s 130; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 384 art 2 s 1; 1994 c 628 art 3 s 129